scholarly journals Mutual Transparency or Mundane Transgressions? Institutional Creeping on Facebook

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 17-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Trottier

This article explores the post–secondary sector’s adoption of social media. Social media plays an increasing role in the visibility of personal information. The term refers to a set of web–based services that facilitate the authorship and distribution of media between users. The most popular social media site is Facebook with over 750 million users worldwide. Facebook was originally launched as a service for university students to author and distribute information about their personal identity, interpersonal connections, and social activities. While Facebook has since expanded its scope beyond universities, student life remains a heavily ‘Facebooked’ phenomenon. University administrators are keenly aware of their students’ presence on this site, and are adopting new practices to harness Facebook as an extension of their professional duties. This paper draws upon findings from a series of fourteen semi–structured face–to–face interviews with various administrators and employees at a medium–sized university in Eastern Ontario. As Facebook first emerged in an academic context, these findings provide a rich example of how institutions can scrutinize populations using social media. These findings suggest that institutional surveillance on Facebook stems from ground–up practices prior to implementing top–down mandates, suggesting that these practices have developed from institutional users’ personal experiences with the site. As well, the visibility of the university and its reputation is offered by respondents as motive for scrutiny, suggesting a discourse of mutual transparency of both the university as an institution as well as its student population.

Author(s):  
Linh Nguyen ◽  
Kim Barbour

This paper explores whether or not our online social media persona is viewed as authentic. The selfie is a fundamental part of the structure of the online identity for young people in today’s digital world. The relationship between an individual’s self-identity in the physical face-to-face environment was analysed and compared to a carefully constructed, modified virtual representation in a selfie posted on social media platforms. Data was obtained through four focus groups at the University of Adelaide. Two key theoretical frameworks provide a basis for this study: Erving Goffman’s concept of the self as a performance, and Charles Horton Cooley’s concept of the looking glass self. In examining the focus group discussions in light of these two frameworks as well as associated literature, we conclude that the authenticity of the selfie as a way of visualising a social media persona is subjective and dependent on the individual posting a selfie. Ultimately, authenticity involves a degree of subjectivity. It was on this basis that focus group participants argued that selfies could be considered authentic expressions of identity.


2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen M. Bauske ◽  
Lelia Kelly ◽  
Kerry Smith ◽  
Lucy Bradley ◽  
Timothy Davis ◽  
...  

Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteers are key to effective dissemination of horticultural information to the public. The goal of this workshop was to identify techniques to increase the capacity and effectiveness of EMG volunteers. The workshop focused on projects and tools that reduce the administrative burden of managing volunteers, increase the scope of issues that volunteers are prepared to address, and pool volunteer efforts and resources across county lines. Two online systems for managing and reporting EMG volunteer activities were described. Both systems are intuitive, user-friendly, and updated without the assistance of web managers. Regional web-based, advanced training on specific topics was used to expand educational messages of EMG volunteers and eliminate the costs associated with face-to-face training. Presentations were made using distance learning technologies and resources were shared online. Hosting agents tailored hands-on supporting activities to meet local needs. Volunteers expanded extension outreach by answering noncommercial landscape and garden telephone questions. Many of the administrative, logistical, and resource burdens associated with the EMG helpline phone service were overcome by working across county lines, standardizing training, centralizing supporting resources, and clustering volunteers into regional telephone helpline offices. Other projects and tools presented in the workshop focused on the need to affirm and/or foster the volunteers' connection with the university and the outreach mission of Cooperative Extension.


Author(s):  
Alan J. Reid ◽  
Kate Prudchenko

A survey of 100 undergraduates and 30 post-secondary faculty members was conducted in order to examine the current attitudes and perceptions of both groups toward the integration of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter in education. Results indicate that both parties are willing to incorporate these social media sites into academics but caution that digital identities are not necessarily representative of face-to-face behavior, thus suggesting the need for an awareness of social presence for online interaction between students and faculty. Social cognitive theories are applied to the use of social media as an instructional tool and a set of best practices for implementing social media in academics is proposed.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1098-1122
Author(s):  
Linda Pardy ◽  
David Thomson ◽  
Samantha Pattridge

In Canada, the use of Social Networking Sites (SNS) for instructional purposes at post-secondary institutions is constrained by students' legislated rights to privacy. Some universities have explored ways to obtain the advantages of cloud computing while still meeting mandated obligations to protect student privacy. The government of British Columbia maintains the strictest standards in Canada regarding access to and storage of personal information, hampering instructional use of SNS. The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) decided to work within this legislation and challenge faculty to modify their classroom practice. At UFV the most significant SNS-related teachable moments come from education towards informed consent to public sharing of information through SNS. While our ability to teach students how to use SNS resources is restricted, working within the legislation encourages educators to evaluate their central purpose for using SNS. Students acquire digital skills through various forms of informal learning; therefore, the formal instructional setting becomes an opportunity to foster development of digital citizens.


Author(s):  
Olufemi Adeniyi Fawole ◽  
Olasunkanmi Adebiyi Osho

Social media play important roles in creating a person's sense of reality, recreating face-to-face interactions on the web by allowing people to interact either publicly of privately. Social networking sites helps in maintaining relationship with individuals who may not be closer to one; used to express romantic relationships through profile pictures or posts on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Uber Social etc. This chapter focused on the influence of Facebook on communication between emerging adults in dating relationships. A total of seventy-seven participants comprising students from the University of Lagos, Nigeria aged between 19 and 29 years, took part in different focus group discussions. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that majority of the dating couples spent long hours on Facebook daily and they did not feel comfortable with the hours spent on Facebook by their partner chatting with friends on a regular basis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kokab Shahzad Rathore ◽  

Social media and its usage are one of the essential activities of this century. Many social media sites are there in the world, and they have millions of users. This research aims to explore the effects of social media usage on parents and children interpersonal relationships. Relationships among parents and children are an essential factor in having excellent bonding of family. The total numbers of respondents were 384, who were selected according to Morgan and Krejcie’sformula. Islamabad was the city where the survey was conducted. Probability sampling was used for this study. The study was based on the theory of Time displacement by Robert Putnam (1970). He argued that when we give more time to our virtual world, our time to our real-world will be less. Two hundred children and 184 parents were the respondents of this study. Results showed that most of the users are heavy users; they use social media more than 4 hours on a daily basis. The outcome revealed that Facebook is much admired social media site among users. According to results, 65% of respondents elaborated that social media unite families, and the rest of 35% said that they are against this statement. Furthermore, 73% of the total population responded that social media decreased face-to-face interaction between parents and children. On the other hand, 14% were neutral, and 11% were against this statement. According to results of hypothesis it has been found that both parents and children support positive aspects of social media usage. This study also finds out that heavy social media usage causes many troubles like sleeplessness, interest in the virtual world, and face-to-face interaction between children and parents. This study recommends the less usage of the virtual world and social sites to make strong relations in real life.


2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Kowalczyk ◽  
Kathrynn R. Pounders

Purpose Social media platforms are changing the way consumers and celebrities engage. This research aims to better understand how and why consumers use social media to engage with celebrities, and identify the potential antecedents and outcomes, which may result from these online connections. Design/methodology/approach Both qualitative (two focus groups) and quantitative (survey) methods were used to explore consumer engagement with celebrities on social media. A structural model from the survey data was developed and analyzed. Findings Textual analysis of the focus groups revealed that consumers follow celebrities on social media to obtain career and personal information about the celebrity. Further, authenticity and emotional attachment were identified as favorable aspects of following celebrities on social media. An empirical study confirmed that the constructs of authenticity and emotional attachment positively influence the outcomes of word-of-mouth and purchase likelihood. Research limitations/implications The study was limited by the self-identification of a favorite celebrity and social media site. Future research should include empirical testing of specific celebrities featured on a specific social media site and the development of the constructs identified in the focus groups. Practical implications This research sheds light on the antecedents and outcomes associated with consumer–celebrity engagement on social media. The implications for marketers and advertisers include a better understanding of how celebrities transform themselves and engage with consumers on social media. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need to study authenticity and emotional attachment as they relate to celebrities and consumers’ engagements on social media.


Author(s):  
Ioana Rontu ◽  
Mohammed Moshirpour ◽  
Sepideh Afkhami Goli ◽  
Fatemeh Sharifi ◽  
Ehsan Mohammadi

Advancements in information technology has given rise to a new flipped learning environment that is increasingly used at post-secondary institutions. This new pedagogical approach provides a personalized learning experience by accommodating different students’ learning styles. Students interact with the course material prior to attending scheduled face-to-face instruction, where learning is reinforced by working through examples and application problems. This paper provides a practical guiding framework for the collaboration and coordination of multiple instructors in a flipped delivery course style, based upon a literature review, qualitative research, and experience. We used a qualitative approach using a questionnaire to gather lessons learned and suggestions from instructors. The responses were analyzed to extract common themes which were mapped to create a conceptual framework for successful multi-instructor flipped course delivery. Recommendations are made as per three chronological sequences of before, during and after the course offering. The framework aims to support the planning, implementation and evaluation stages of organizing and managing a multi-instructor flipped course. This paper stresses the importance of the teaching team proactively completing the planning and design of course components before the start of the course. Quantitative student feedback received from the fall 2018 course offering in Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary is used to support the flipped classroom delivery, multi-instructor delivery style.


Author(s):  
Kevin Deitle ◽  
Daniel Lee

Background: This qualitative study examined apartheid-era South Africa, from 1948 to 1994, which established social and administrative policies that deliberately curtailed the education of Indigenous and other South Africans as a means of oppressing non-European ethnic groups. Analysis: In lieu of face-to-face interviews, the experience of education under apartheid is examined through stories and interviews submitted to the Apartheid Archives Project, curated by the University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The central question asks how the personal experiences of an oppressive school system, as interpreted through the framework of Freirean education, informs school leaders. Conclusion: Oppression infiltrates school systems, impinges on the educational process, and robs students of learning opportunities. In recognizing this, educators engage their responsibility as school leaders, and embrace the pivotal role education plays in social reconstruction, liberation, and humanization.


Author(s):  
Narelle Lemon ◽  
Megan McPherson ◽  
Kylie Budge

Wooing, hooking up and spinning stories are not the usual behaviours to describe academics and the ways they make connections with other scholars. These behaviours are now how some academics build relations for research, support and professional development as a part of the way they work in and across academia with social media use. How academics reveal facets of their identity online and use social media speak to ideas about identity and agency in the contemporary university. Academics are using social media in the university and this has risks to both the academy and the academic. Academics are taking on these risks in different ways, publically representing their academic selves and their research, building networks of connections with other scholars and using Twitter to be (non) strategic to benefit their research interests and inquiries. In this paper, we focus on how academics use Twitter to make connections and relations with others. The paper draws on preliminary findings from a study of academics using Twitter that used a modified snowball recruitment method to garner participants. Informal interviews were used to discuss how the academics used Twitter, what images they used to represent and describe themselves. How their academic identity was represented online as branding, strategic or not, and their various relations was a starting point in this analysis. We examine the themes of academics branding and being (non) strategic by the stories they told of relationship building on Twitter. That is wooing, or having conversations on specific topics to make a connection and demonstrate relevance, hooking up, or networking, and spinning stories, or rather enacting professional dialogues. We argue that these behaviours demonstrate how some academics are an example of a new type of 21st century academic and conclude by suggesting that in doing so they are examples of new ways of being and becoming an academic context.


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